2012: Farewell

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Adam "MCA" Yauch A founding member of the groundbreaking Beastie Boys, Yauch left a rap legacy. But he was equally known and admired for his outspoken activism for the Tibetan independence movement and for his integrity as an artist. Def Jam Record's Russell Simmons called him "the most sensitive artist, who I loved dearly." Yauch died May 4 after a three-year battle with throat cancer. He was 47.

Adam "MCA" Yauch A founding member of the groundbreaking Beastie Boys, Yauch left a rap legacy. But he was equally known and admired for his outspoken activism for the Tibetan independence movement and for his integrity as an artist. Def Jam Record's Russell Simmons called him "the most sensitive artist, who I loved dearly." Yauch died May 4 after a three-year battle with throat cancer. He was 47.